As a child of the Depression era, Georgia Crouch came to know many caretakers after her birth parents' financial restraints forced them to relinquish their parental rights.

Crouch was grateful for what she called her “village of parents,” because with their guidance she learned the value of love, laughter, and resilience.

“She understood that we all play a part in taking care of each other, and she got past some of the hurt that she may have felt and accepted all of the love and care she received from so many people,” said her daughter, Jacqueline Crouch Montague.

Crouch died Thursday of complications from ovarian cancer. She was 81.

After marrying Chester Crouch in 1949, the couple spent several years living from the Rio Grande Valley to the Texas Panhandle. But in 1974, Crouch's husband succumbed to heart disease.

“That field provided her with a connection to people, to be there for people, to provide for them and to help guide them,” Montague said. “She felt such an importance to care for individuals who were at the final stages of their life.”

A proud moment in Crouch's career came when she helped with the Hospice Demonstration Project, which established Medicare funding for hospice patients.

At VistaCare, Crouch worked as a volunteer coordinator before switching gears and accepting a counseling position at Villa Rosa Hospital where she provided therapy for adolescents.

“She had the ability to be a great listener and work with all the medical staff and coordinate and provide her input in what she thought was the best care,” her daughter recalled.

“It takes a special kind of person to be able to work in a field that takes a lot of your energy and then come home and still provide such wonderful care and assistance for her kids and grandchildren,” she added.

Throughout her illness, Crouch continued to assist others by “practicing her values and beliefs in everyday life,” Montague said.